In this episode we continue studying the Book of Exodus. In this episode the Lord, the King of the nation of Israel, gave them 10 basic laws or commandments.

With the first commandment they were admonished not to have any other gods before Him.

They were told not to make graven images and bow down to them.

They were forbidden, to make graven images of any likeness of anything in heaven, the earth beneath or the water under the earth.

He told them He is a jealous God and if they made images and bowed down to them he would visit the iniquity of the sin unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate Him.

Bow down means to prostrate oneself before a superior in homage. They were royalty, a kingdom of kings and priests, a group of highly honored nobles.

They were People made in His likeness and image and it would be humiliating for them and offensive to Him to have royal members of his kingdom, bowing down and worshipping images of cattle, dogs cats, birds, frogs and fish.

Those beings are inferior to people because they are not made in the image of God.

Those who profess they are wise and refuse to worship the Living God are given over to this inappropriate behavior. Paul tells us why in Romans chapter 1 verses 22 through 25.

Here's the text:

Romans 1:22 Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools,

Romans 1:23 And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and four footed beasts, and creeping things.

Romans 1:24 Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonor their own bodies between themselves:

Romans 1:25 Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen.

They were also told not to take his name in vain and if they did, he would not hold them guiltless.

To take in vain means to lift, accept, obtain, receive, regard, raise up, set up, wear, yield. Proverbs chapter 30 verse 9 reveals what it means to take the Lord’s name in vain.

Here’s the text:

Proverbs 30:9 Lest I be full, and deny thee, and say, Who is the LORD? or lest I be poor, and steal, and take the name of my God in vain.

So basically, Agur the author of Proverbs chapter 30 said, he would be taking the Lord’s name if he went around, saying he was saved, that the Lord was his God and then went around stealing things.

We can’t go around lifting up the name of God, wearing his name like a badge and then live a life of sin.

We note that God told the people, if they built an altar, it should be made of the earth, but if they decided to build one of stone, they should not pollute it with their hands, by taking tools to hew it.

The requirement for altars of earth would eventually change and the people would make fancy altars and overlay them with various metals like gold and brass.

But for now, they did not need to be distracted by a golden altar. He wanted them to focus on the meaning of the altar and the importance of the sacrifice.

If they broke one of the laws in his kingdom, the penalty was death. But he was willing to let them live if they sacrificed an animal on the altar.

By slaying an innocent animal on the altar, the offender admitted he was guilty and the penalty was death, but god was accepting the death of the animal instead.

When we sin, we break God’s law, and he decided to sacrifice his son on the altar of the earth, so our sins can be forgiven. He forgives our sin and allows us to remain as citizens of his kingdom because of Jesus Christ, his sacrificial lamb.

Jesus is God’s lamb and He’s also God’s High Priest, who lives to make intercession for us while we continue to live in God’s kingdom, seeking to overcome the sins that so easily beset us. Paul reminds us to take hope in this.

Here’s the text:

Romans 8:31 What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?

Romans 8:32 He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?

Romans 8:33 Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifieth.

Romans 8:34 Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us.